Let $a\equiv (3^{-1}+5^{-1}+7^{-1})^{-1}\pmod{11}$. What is the remainder when $a$ is divided by $11$?
Solution: One way to do this is to find each inverse explicitly: \begin{align*}
(3^{-1}+5^{-1}+7^{-1})^{-1} &\equiv (4+9+8)^{-1} \pmod{11} \\
&\equiv 21^{-1} \pmod{11} \\
&\equiv 10^{-1} \pmod{11} \\
&\equiv \boxed{10}\pmod{11}.
\end{align*} Another way to do this is through manipulation: \begin{align*}
& (3^{-1}+5^{-1}+7^{-1})^{-1}\\
\equiv~ & (3\cdot 5\cdot 7)(3\cdot 5\cdot 7)^{-1}(3^{-1}+5^{-1}+7^{-1})^{-1}\\
\equiv~ & (3\cdot 5\cdot 7)(3\cdot 5+5\cdot 7+ 7\cdot 3)^{-1}\\
\equiv~ & 6\cdot(15+35+21)^{-1}\\
\equiv~ & 6\cdot 5^{-1}\\
\equiv~ & 6\cdot 9\\
\equiv~ & \boxed{10} \pmod{11}
\end{align*}